Spring suspension for motor-vehicles.



E. A. NELSON. SPRING SUSPENSION FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26; 1908.

Patentd Oct. 10, 1911.

I la /.a J [a 16 fig,

M I 1 l 5 7 10 1 i g a 6 11 10 7 g 15 INVENTOR A TTORNE Y3.

' extreme v NITED "STATES rngrur oFiucE.

EMIL- A. NELSON,

F nnr'nor'r, MICHIGAN.

SPRING SUSPENSION son MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Ltllh'ifilldat. Specification ofvLettflrs lfflent Patented Oct. 10, 1911. Application filed December 26, 1908. Serial No. 469,316.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of WVayne and State. of llz'lichigan, have invented ccrtain new and useful improvements in Spring Suspension for Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. This invention relates to improvements in vehicle springs and more particularly to springs adapted to support motor vehicle body frames and the like where the spring is subjected to heavy strains and deflection, which causes A. NELSON, a

sudden rebounds. I

The object of the invention is to provide a siinpl'eand cheap spring having great flexibility and yet having the necessary re sistance to carry heavy loads without injury to the spring and also so constructed as to retard the rebound, operating as a shock absorber to preventthe transmission of sudden jolts, jars, etc, hicle.

A further objcctis to provide a. sprin which will permit the vehicle axle to which it is attached without putting a torsional strain upon the body thereby, and to provide (Ql'tztlfl other new and useful features all as lwrcinaiter more fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automobile in which the spring embodying this in rrni'iori is employed t6 support the rear end of the body Frame. "Fig. 2 is an enlarged rr-zar rlevuiiou oi the same. Fig. 3 is av de- (ai now showing in plan view a portion of the rear axle. the spring and its su l ig. -i is a detail struol'iou. detail of pport. illustrating a modified conllig. 5 is an enlarged sectional tho vmuumtiou of the spring to the '1 body lrumo.

in the drawings l. have shown the spring embodying this invention as applied to the rear axle of an automobile, but I do not- Wish lo limit myself to such application as. the ,-:priu o; may he used upon the front as well as tho rrur axle.

in l ho drawings 1 is the outer tubular sleeve of the ordinary automobile rear axle glrnriihui with a gear casing 2 intermediate iiv rods. and brake drums it at each end.

are tho ordinary rca r driving wheels of shocks, and

to the body of the ve-.

the raising of one end ofjthe autoi'nobile secured upon the er is of the live shaft of the axlein the usual mani nor in such constructions. Adjacent to and 1 formed integral. with each brake support is a rigid arm 5 extending rearwardly from the fixed sleeve of the axle, andin bearings in the rear ends of these arms is mounted a transverse shaft 6 extending parallel with the axle. -Upon this shaft 6 are the sleeves 7 free to slide longitudinally thereon, one near each supporting arm for the shaft and upon each sleeve are upwardly extending ears 8 between which is pivotally attached the ends of a semi-elliptic leaf spring 9 which lies above and extendslongitudinally of said supporting shaft 6. Two coiled. springs 10 are sleeved upon the shaft 6, one in engagement with the inner end of each sleeve, and collars 11 are fixed on the shaft to engage the inner ends of said coiled springs and hold the same under compression in engagcment with the sleeves.

12 is the body frame which as shown is preferably. made of pressed steel formed channel shape in cross section. A socket member 13 is secured to the upper side of 14: This socket is open at its and before it is secured to the spring'a ball 15 is slipped into the socket through the open side auda follower block 16 placed in lower side,

ball and block are which is secured by' rivets or otherwise within an opening in the top of the channel bar 19 :l oruiing the rear end of the body frame 12. I The shank 17 has a screwthrcadcd upwardly extending end projeotlug through the upper end of the socket 18 and the shank is secured in this socket by a nut 20 upon the screw-threaded cndto engage the end of the socket and draw the ta poring portion of the shank firmly to its seat in the socket.

shown in Fig. 4, when power to drive the automobile is applied to'sprockets 2.1 scoured to the driving wheels and the rear axle courru'iscs a fixed shaft 92 upon the end. of which the wheels turn freely the spring 9 may be sup 'xoricd directly above the axle, there the lower end of the socket to forina bearsecuring of the socket opening in the top of the socket to engage a conical socket member 18 being no gear casing to hin the spring 9 intermediate its ends by clips gig;

der the free movement of the spring. .In this construction the sleeves 7 are placed d1- rectly upon said shaft 22 thus dispensing with the supporting shaft 6.

, the sleeves,

spring so that its ends By mounting the movement, said spring have a free lateral is free to straighten upon fiexure andthusthe full benefit of its resiliency is secured, and by providing the coiled springs to engage under compression the inner ends of the outward movement of the sleeves is assisted by said springs when the main spring is flexed, thus" flexibility; tion of said spring 9, the; sleeves move inward'upon their supporting shaft and said coiled springsmesist this movement, acting as-yielding buffers for the sleeves and thus ;serv1ng as shock-absorbers to prevent rethe body frame one end of elliptic spring, a member the spring "'nally of said" member ordinarily transmitted to the body frame by' the sudden lifting of one wheel is also pre vented by the coiled springs 10 Which vpermit of a slight lateral movement of the spring 9 relative to-the axle. All'side jolts, jars,.and strains are lessened springs which act as under side thrusts. WhatI claim as my invention is side buffers, yielding 1. In a spring support for vehicles, the.

combination of.

a semi-elliptic spring supported with its ends free to move outwardly,

andsprings for assisting the outward move-f I ment of the ends of said spring exerting a constantforce upon said ends, in the direction of the length of said spring.

2. In a spring support for motor vehicle body frames, the combination of a semiforming a support for, said spring, sleeves movable longitudi and to Which the ends ofsaid spring are attached, and springs engaging the inner ends ofsaid sleeves and [exerting thereon, I i

' The combination with therear-driv'ing a constant outward pressure axle 'of a motor vehicle embodying a fixed sleeve and a" gear ends, of armssecured to the fixed sleeve and casing intermediate its increasing its Upon therebound or reflex ac suddenly supported by the spring,

by said coiled means acting extending laterally therefrom, supporting means carried by said arms, and a semielliptic spring supported at its ends by said supporting means and extending longitudinally of the axle at one side of the vertical plane of said axle and its gear casing.

4. The combination with the rear driving axle of a motor vehicle embodying a fixed sleeve and a gear casin intermediate its ends, of arms secured to tie fixed sleeve and extending laterally therefrom, a supporting shaft carried by said arms and extending parallel with said axle, a semi-e1liptic spring, and means slidable on said shaft to which the ends of said spring are pivotally attached, 'said spring being supported by said shaft in, the vertical plane thereof and at one side of the vertical plane of the axle and its gear casing.

5. In a spring support for motor vehicle body frames, the combination of a semielliptic spring, a socket member having an opening in its lower side, a ball to engage said socket, a follower Within the socket forming a seat for the ball, means for securing the socket to the upper side of said spring intermediate its ends, means for securing said ball to the body frame to be a support for the spring, and means for attaching the ends of the spring to its support and permitting a bo'dily longitudinal movement of the spring upon said support.

6. The combination with a.vehicle axle and a body frame, of a semi elliptic spring supported by the axle with its ends free to move outwardly longitudinally of the axle, upon the ends of said spring to supplement the efi'ect of a load thereon, and a. universal joint connection intermediate the ends of the spring between said spring and the body frame. I

7. The combination with a vehicle axle and a body frame, of a semi-elliptic spring supported by the axle with its ends free to move outwardly longitudinally of the axle,

.means acting'upon the ends of said spring to supplement the effect of a load thereon, a socket member secured to the upper side of said spring intermediate its ends, and a ball member secured to the body frame engaging said socket to connect the frame and spring.

In testimony whereof, I aliix my signature in presence or two witnesses.

EMIL A. NELSON.

Witnesses:

OTTO F. BARTHEL, A. M. Donn. 

